1. You’re Using Hot Water when You Should Be Using Warm Water

You might think that hot water is better at killing icky things, but it’s way too harsh for your skin. Hot water strips the natural moisture from inside your skin, which can leave you with dry, parched skin on your face. Warm water is perfectly good at removing products, dirt, debris and bacteria from your skin and helps preserve the hydration you need for healthy looking skin.

2. You Rub Your Skin Instead of Patting It Gently

Your skin is the most delicate on your entire body so you should be treating it with daily tender loving care. When you finish washing your face, never rub it dry. You should be gently patting it with a soft towel. This gets rid of excess water, but doesn’t stretch and pull your skin, which can lead to fine lines and wrinkles.

3. You’re Using a Cleanser That is Wrong for You

It’s time to end a bad relationship with your facial products right now! Assess your skin type. It might be oily, dry or normal. Whatever the case, look for a facial cleanser that is designed for that skin type. Using the wrong one won’t target the issues you’re dealing with, which means you won’t be solving the problem. Talk to your dermatologist if you need help figuring out your skin type.

4. You Wash Too Often on a Daily Basis

Girls with oily skin are especially prone to this mistake. You might think you need to wash more often to remove the grease, but the opposite is actually true. Experts recommend washing no more than twice a day. Some girls can even get away with washing only once a day. Girls with normal and dry skin should only be washing once or twice a day too. More than that and your skin will definitely start to suffer.

5. You Use an Exfoliation Cleanser Every Single Day

Yes, exfoliation is great for removing dead skin cells and residual gunk lingering on your face, but too much isn’t a good thing. Experts say that two or three times per week is plenty to keep your pores clean and to prevent breakouts. More than that and you could just have irritated, red or raw skin on your face.

6. You do a Quickie Rinse Instead of Making Sure All Your Cleanser is Gone

Rinsing might seem like a no-brainer, but many girls, myself included, do a rinse that is way too quick. This means you wind up with residual cleanser on your face. Make it a habit and you may wind up with breakouts due to clogged pores. Make sure you rinse well all over your face. It only takes a couple extra seconds!

7. You Don’t Finish the Job with Moisturizer

Applying moisturizer after washing your face is a step you should never skip. The best time to apply moisturizer is when your skin is still damp from being washed. That lotion or cream locks the moisture into your skin, holding it there to hydrate your face. This results in fresh, dewy, radiant and young looking skin.

Which of these mistakes are you making? I’ve made them all a time or two, but I promise that it’s super easy to fix the problem. What changes will you be making today?